Raiders of Eternity: The Beginning
by TheUnknownTaelon
Summary: It was supposed to be a routine job, to protect the Companions. That's what he had done ever since he started to work for them. Little did he know that this specific Companion would change his life for eternity as he would change hers.


Story by **Taelon** and her beta reader **Addie**. Song translation by **Addie**. Please do not publish nor use without permission.  
>Disclaimer: Earth: Final Conflict and all recognizable characters belong to Tribune Entertainment. The song "Tuuli kulkee" belongs to finnish gospel band The Rain. No copyright infringement intended.<br>Author's notes: This is the prologue to Raiders of Eternity, my story focusing on a very unique Taelon called Mi'shal and her protector Lewis Rang. The beginning of the story takes place around early Season 3, probably after "The Once and Future world" but is AU and doesn't follow the series.

_'Elämää (Life's a thing)_  
><em>emme pysty määräämään (that leaves us guessing what it'll bring)<em>  
><em>Tuuli kulkee missä tahtoo, (The wind will blow just as it pleases,)<em>  
><em>painaa selkäsi seinään (shake the walls that surround you)<em>

_Synnin tunto saa (The weight of things you've done)_  
><em>sut riekaleiksi riepottaa (is 'bout to break you down inside)<em>  
><em>Miksei se anna olla vaan? (How does it know just where you hide?)<em>

_Sun salaisissa haaveissas (And in the secret dreams you dream)_  
><em>joku rakastaa sua niin ett sydämeen sattuu (someone loves you so much it's almost making your heart ache)<em>  
><em>Sulle Jumala vastaa: Mä seuraan sua matkoillas (God will answer your prayers, saying: "I'm with you: Where you go, I go)<em>  
><em>Annan anteeksi kaiken mihin katuva kaatuu (I won't leave you behind, and I'll forgive all your mistakes)<em>  
><em>Minä rakastan sua niin ett sattuu' (Child, I love you so much it makes a heart break.")<em>

Peeping sound of data stream disturbed the song that was playing in the background in the Taelon embassy. The resident of the building turned off both music and the energy shower she was resting at, while rising to a sitting position. She was somewhat certain about who the one contacting her at this hour was. No one else would bother her while she was resting. Unfortunately, it also happened to be the one being whose call she couldn't refuse. So, reluctantly, she opened the data stream. "That certainly took long enought", snapped the all too familiar voice. "Forgive me Zo'or. I was resting at my energy shower. It is nighttime here", she answered politely, ignoring unfriendly tone of the synod leader. "That is not an explanation sufficient enough, at the United States it is afternoon. When I call you I expect you to answer me as soon as possible. I do have duties to attend to and I cannot waste my time on you any more than is necessary", said Zo'or, not bothering to hide his irritation. "Then why have you contact me?", the other Taelon asked, letting her boredom to shine through her voice. "And you are imbudent enought to even ask", the synod leader almost shouted. He forced himself to calm down and continued: "No doubt you were aware of the synod meeting today?" "I was, but..." "And still you were absent, were you not?". It was not a question, so she let him continue without interrupting. "What I want to know is how a synod member fails to bring herself to participate to something as important as meeting", Zo'or could hardly restrain his anger. He stared coldy the other Taelon who sat quietly and didn't show any signs that the synod leader s outburst had affected her in any way. "I _did_ inform you that I could not be present. I already had another appointment scheduled, one that I could not cancel on such a short notice. Perhaps if the date of the meeting would have been announced earlier, I could have invalitaded the other event", she explained calmly. "It was the opening ceremony of the children s hospital", Zo'or snapped. "So are you saying that meeting with humans holds greater importance to you than your own species?", he accused. "I did not imply anything of such kind. I merely meant that it would have had a negative effect on our public perception if I would not have attended to the event", she answered with same serene voice she had used throughout the whole conversation. "_It_ would have had a negative effect on our public perception? I think it is your _other_ activities you have performed recently that will have such an effect." "To what activities are you referring?", she was starting to get irritated. "I am referring to the fact that since your nomination to the Companion of the Nordic countries you have been constantly been detected to involve yourself into several human activities that has nothing to do with Taelons. You desecrate us by lowering yourself to the same level with them and wasting time on these useless acts." "That is incorrect. They are not waste of time. On the contrary, they are quite important for the scientific research." "If you would kindly elaborate your statement, for I cannot see how being in a movie theater or attending to a music consert are _scientific_ _research_." "I only wish to observe humans in various situtations." "And what is the reason for it?" "I hope to understand them". After her statement Zo'or watched her incredulously. "Understand them? There is no reason for that. All we need is means to dominate them." "Please, I do not wish to discuss this same issue once again. I am getting rather tired of it." "As am I, for I do not see why you oppose my plans so eagerly. We need humans to fight the jaridians." "But we have no right to enslave them. Even Ma'el believed that humans should be treated as equals and he..." "Ma'el was a fool! And it is insignificant what he believed. The synod decided how we are to deal with humans long before we even came to Earth. It is not in your authority to question that. And surely you are aware of the consequence of disobedience". She lowered her head and remained quiet. "You have now been officially warned. If this happens again, I may be forced to remove you from the synod, remember this", Zo'or said and was about to close the data stream, but then added: "I am saying this all for your sake, Mi'shal.". The other Taelon nodded, never lifting her head. For a moment Zo'or observed her but soon closed the connection.

Mi'shal rose from her seat and walked to the virtual glass. The streets were empy, the whole city of Oslo was asleep. For a long time she just stood there, thinking about the conversation with the synod leader. Perhaps Zo'or was right. Perhaps she was a disgrace to the Taelons, acting so human. While lying that she was doing what she was doing for scientific reasons only, the truth was something quite different. Something she could never reveal to the others for they would never understand. How could she ever tell them that she actually _liked_ being on Earth? That she enjoyed listening to music, reading books and watching movies. That she simply loved the planet's nature and cherished every moment she could spend in the wild, away from technology, away from all her duties and worries. If the others had known, Mi'shal would have probably been forced to embrace the Void. But she couldn't help herself. She felt so good, so alive... and so guilty. She shouldn't spent time having fun. She should take care of diplomatic matters and other important Taelon business. Acting like this was nothing more than selfish. She put her own needs and feelings ahead of her species. And for that she felt ashamed. But on the other hand, she had felt guilty almost her whole life, for the crimes the Taelons had committed, the ones she had unwillingly been involved in. _He_ had advised her to stop thinking like that, since all they had done was for the survival of the Taelon race. _He_ had never understood, and never would.

Mi'shal lowered her head again and turned away from the window. She should resume her rest, tomorrow would be quite busy. At the times like this, she wondered if it would be better to leave her place at the synod. But then she would be forced to leave Earth and live on the Mothership. Away from the nature, away from the humans, away from the music. The taelon sat down on her chair and waved the computer to play the song that was cut off earlier. As the song continued, she restarted the flow of the energy stream and was soon again lost in her thoughts.

_'Sinä kesänä (On a summer's day)_  
><em>oltiin rippileirillä . (you got a chance to break away.)<em>  
><em>Tuuli kulki missä tahtoi (The wind came blowing as it pleased,)<em>  
><em>painoi selkäsi seinään. (shattered the walls all around you.)<em>  
><em>Sait synnit tunnustaa (You made your choice that night,)<em>  
><em>ja padot lähti murtumaan. (between the darkness and the light.)<em>  
><em>Oli niin uskomattoman hyvä olla vaan (And for that one night everything just felt so alright.)<em>


End file.
